


An Explanation

by Leni



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Episode Tag, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-19
Updated: 2016-02-19
Packaged: 2018-05-21 15:41:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6057051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leni/pseuds/Leni
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post "The Crocodrile".</p><p> </p><p>  <i>If anyone had thought to tell her of her father's history with Mr. Gold here in Storybrooke, Belle might have handled their reunion a little better. </i></p>
            </blockquote>





	An Explanation

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Classics Lover at [Comment Fic.](http://comment-fic.livejournal.com/696041.html?thread=91655145#t91655145) Prompt: **"I thought _______ had killed you. I may have lost my temper."**

If anyone had thought to tell her of her father's history with Mr. Gold here in Storybrooke, Belle might have handled their reunion a little better. Perhaps she wouldn't have jumped straight to defend her relationship with Rumpelstiltskin, but could have tried to explain why she'd fallen in love, how kind and gentle he could become when alone with her, and how much anger there was inside him when something he treasured was threatened.

And he'd thought Belle was _dead_. Of course he wouldn't have felt forgiving to those he held at fault, of course he would have targeted Moe French and shown no mercy when he'd caught his prey.

Her father must have been terrified, after seeing the Dark One in one of his rages. Belle herself still had nightmares, having been both witness and the object of his ire, and Rumpelstiltskin hadn't done more to her than to haul her back to a dungeon and lock her there until his anger was spent.

No wonder her father had risked everything in order to get her away from Rumpelstiltskin. He'd seen the worst of him, the terrifying beast everyone feared - no father worth the name would have let his daughter stay with such a monster.

He couldn't have known that Rumpel would never hurt her. That he rarely lowered himself to physical punishment, unless the crime was too great. Belle could have told the story of the thief who'd broken into the Dark Castle, and how he'd been allowed to go with both his life and his bounty. She could have told him that Rumpelstiltskin hadn't reacted so violently over some stolen items - no, not even over their lost teacup.

She could have insisted that Rumpelstiltskin never hurt the undeserving. That he could be merciful.

She could have explained that it had been the Evil Queen's trick, and that _both_ the men Belle loved had suffered for it.

"Regina told me that you'd gone back to your father," Rumpel told her that evening, after she'd washed away the grime from the mine tunnels at her new apartment and walked across town to his home. "That he had...." He shook his head, as if dispelling some terrible memory, and tugged her to sit closer. "That he had sent you to your death." He'd been watching her warily, expecting her to fly back to the flower shop the moment he admitted that, yes, Ruby had told the truth about her father's enforced visit to the hospital early that year. 

But Belle held his hand. "I'm sorry."

He had let out a disbelieving laugh. But his hand had tightened around hers. "I believed her," he admitted, running his eyes over her face to reassure himself that she wasn't lost to him, that she'd come back to him and, even if she wouldn't be staying in his home anymore, she had still chosen to hear his side of the story. "I thought he had killed you." He gave a self-effacing shrug. "I may have lost my temper."

He had proved that he would go to great lengths in order to please her.

Now he was saying that he'd do the same to avenge her.

She didn't approve of such darkness in his heart. But her father would. He was a man who had kept waging war against the ogres long after it'd been obvious that it was a lost cause, and Belle knew that part of it was in the name of the wife that had been killed in one of the first battles.

"I'll talk to him," she promised. "I am sure that he will understand."

Rumpelstiltskin made a skeptical sound, but a moment later he seemed to consider that and, with a tiny smile on his lips, gathered her against him. "Who knows," he mused against her hair, sounding a little amused at her optimism and yet carefully hopeful. "He is your father. He just might at that."

 

The End  
19/02/16

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are welcome! :)


End file.
